Dublin North West Sinn Féin TD Dessie Ellis has described today’s budget at mean and predictable.

Speaking from Leinster House today Deputy Ellis said;

“This budget is another missed opportunity to move towards a fairer society. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have forged this budget between them and it represents the failed politics of a failed class and a failed system.

“But it is also a mean budget, especially when you consider that politicians will be paid their increase in January, which I think they shouldn’t get, and pensioners will not see their increase until March leaving them without for three of the hardest months to heat a home.

“And it’s also a mean budget given the fact that unemployed people under the age of 25 have only received an increase from €2.70 and not the €5 that over 25’s are receiving.”

“We see this budget putting money into landlord’s pockets by increasing subsidies while the capital investment in social housing is severely lacking in money and vision.

“The only result of this first time buyer’s scheme will be to increase prices even higher and prevent people owning their homes.

Deputy Ellis said that there were important groups left out;

“I am disappointed that there is no direct intervention to help renters in this budget. So we now have people tonight paying rent which in some cases are nearly twice what a mortgage would cost and wondering how they are going to manage.

“The budget does not even touch on the issue of high rents. Once again vested interests have won out and society is the poorer.”

The motion on 24/7 Mental Health Care reflected a most urgent need and immediate concern. It was a very focused and considered motion. The motion was a first step in addressing the lack of investment in our Mental Health services. The vote on Thursday allowed Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and those independents who are supporting the government  an opportunity to take that first step and vote for a motion that went beyond generalised commitments and aspirations. I was very dissapointed by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and those independents who supported the governments’s amendment by voting for or abstaining on the Sinn Féin’s Private members motion on 24/7 crisis intervention services. By doing so FF, FG failed those people who most need these services. They have failed the groups and organisations who have campaigned for these services as well. We need action now not words.